Stubble-cutter.



PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907.

-W. A. MOGOLLOUGH. STUBBLE CUTTER;

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 20.1904.

THE NORRIS PETERS cm. WALHINCTDN. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. McCOLLOUGH, OF LAMOILLE, IOWA.

s'TusBL -wfi-Ea.

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM A. McCoL- LOUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lamoille, in the county of Marshall. and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stubble- Cutters, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings. 7, j

This invention relates to improvements in stubble-cutters, and has for its object the provision of a device of this character designed for utilization as an attachment for harvesting-machines, though equally susceptible of application to otherim lements ordvehicles by which the cutter can e drawn for elevating the cutter blade from the ground and constituting an auxiliary runner therefor when the implement or machine to which it is attached is backed, all of which, as well as other features of the invention, will be apparent from the detail description hereinafter given, when read'in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and wherein a convenient embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the attachment asapplied to a harvesting-machine or other carrier, it being necessary to show the latter in a fragmentary manner only. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the knife-blade and its immediately-associa-ted arts. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 20 m, Fig. 2, showing the knife elevator and runner in several of its positions, one in full and the others in dotted lines. Figs. 4 and 5 are de- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed Decembr 20. 1904. Serial No. 237,733.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

tail sectional views of the forward coupling, andFig-G is a detail view of the link-supportmg means. p

Referring more specifically to the drawings, 5 designates a drag-bar and runner, the forward portion of which extends upwardly between and is secured to longitudinally-disposed beams 6of the vehicle-frame.

The securing means for this part comprise a bottom plate 7and a top plate 8, erforated centr'ally for the reception of'a 0 amping-bolt 9, adapted in cooperation witha nut 10 to draw the plates together and cause them to bind upon the beams 6.. The bot-'' tom plate just" referred to has an enlarge ment or block 11 on its upper surface arranged to project into the s ace intermediate the beams and contact Wit the inside faces thereof, the edges of the block being inclined to converge forwardly, whereby when the machine is backed when the implement is in engagement with the ground the resulting effect will be to Wedge the blocks more tightly in place rather than tend to loosen the implement at thispoint of attachment. A TO perform a similar function, the topplate 8 hasa pair of depending flanges 12 13, the former being substantially straight and the latter inclined forwardly and inwardly, whereby the draft on the machine and incidentally on the beams will tend to draw them through the clamping device, and consequently by reasonv of theinclination just referred to of the flange more effectively wedge or bind the outer depending flanges 12 13 upon the outside edges of the beams,

The rear end of the drag-bar or runner 5 is bent at a slight angle to the forward portion thereof, so that the same may occupy a'substantially horizontal plane to contact with the ground and ride thereover, and to prevent penetration and embedding of this contact portion in'the ground the same has a rather broadbearing-surface 14;.

A pivot stub or pin 15 at the rear end-of the bar 5 passes freely through aneye 16 at the lower end of a supporting-link 17, said eye being held upon the pin by a cotter-pin or its equivalent 18. The siipporting linlc just referred to is substantially straight as compared to the arched link of my former patent and rather than extending upwardly and over the under frame of the vehicle is poof metal they are weakened at their ends and sitioned therebeneath, as shown, whence it is secured to a beam 19 through the medium of loosely-interfitting eyes 20, the former being at the upper end of the link and the latter suspended from the beam 19through the medium of a spacing-bar or wear-plate 21, through which and through apertures in said beam 19 separated arms 22 of said eye pass, the same being fastened in place by suitable nuts 23. By this arrangement greater play is allowed the link and drag-bar to overcome undueobstacles in the path of travel of the cutter.

The cutting blade or knife is represented at 24, and to position the same at aproper angle to obtain a shearing out in the operation thereof the inner edge inclines relative to the cutting edge and back of the blade, as at 25, and this inner edge 26 rests upon the flat upper edge of the dragbar 5 and is secured thereto by nuts and bolts 27. It has been customary in cutting implements of various types to round ofi or curve the back of the blade to the cutting edge of the same at the free end thereof; but such blades are objectionable, because owing to the reduction always present a sharp point, and the same frequently digs into the surface of the ground, and consequently impedes the easy operation of the device. My present blade differs from this older type in that the free end thereof is curved upwardly slightly, as at 28, which will prevent contact of its point with the ground, as well as permit the use of a blade of substantially uniform width through out.

It is to be noted that there are two of the bolts 27 which secure the inner'edge of the cutter-blade to the drag-bar, and also that the back edge of the blade is bolted at separated points 29 to a laterally-extending rearwardly-inclining bracket or arm 30, having a forward portion 31, running parallel with the rear side of the drag-bar, to which latter said portion is bolted at 32. By this arrangement the'blade is mounted very firmly in place, the same has a back brace, and the proper inclination of the blade rearwardly of the line of travel of the machine is obtained.

Another important feature of the invention is the provision of a pivoted elevator and runner 33 for the cutter-blade, said elevator being in the nature of a freely-swinging arm pivoted at 34 on the rearward bolt 32 between the drag-bar and an offset intermediate portion 35 of the bracket 30. The free end of this arm 33 is pointed and bent downwardly to ride over the surface of the ground during the forward movement of the machine, but to dig into and resist backward travel of the device on the ground when the movement of the machine is reversed, said point acting as a fixed pivot in this latter instance, whereby the arm, and consequently the cutter-blade, are elevated and swung over, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, thus throwing said cutter out of signed for that purpose, it will be apparent that the same can be employed for automatically raising and lowering implements of other types.

It is to be understood that changes and alterations can be made in the structure herein disclosed without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a stubble-cutter attachment, the combination with a transportable frame, of a knife-carrying frame loosely attached thereto, and means for automatically raising the knife-carrying frame upon a movement of said transportable frame in other than a forward direction.

2. In a stubble-cutter attachment for harvesters, the combination with a transportable frame, of a knife-carrying frame loosely attached to said transportable frame, and a leg jointedly attached to the rear of the knife-carrying frame and resting upon the ground adapted to raise the knife-carrying frame upon a movement of said transportable frame in other than a forward direction.

3. In a stubble-cutter attachment, the

combination with a transportable frame, of

a knifecarrying frame movably attached thereto, instrumentalities for raising the knifecarryin'g frame above the ground as the machine, moves rearward and enabling automatic returning of the knife-carrying frame into operative position as the machine moves forward. I

4. In combination, a frame, a drag-bar movably connected therewith, a cutterblade, an elevator, and instrumentalities for securing the cutter-blade to the drag-bar and for pivotally mounting the elevator whereby the latter will be operable to automatically raise the dragbar and cutterblade upon movement thereof in a predetermined direction.

5. In combination with a drag-bar, a cut ter-blade secured thereto, a reinforcing back support for said cutter-blade having a portion attached to the drag-bar and an offset portion part of which is parallel with the drag-bar and part of which is. connected with the cutter-blade, and an elevator-arm ing rearwardly from the direction of forward pivoted between said parallel part of the offtravel thereof. 10 set portion and the drag-bar. In testimony whereof I affiX my signature 6. In a stubble-cutter, the combination in presence of two witnesses. with a transportable frame, of a cutter oper- WILLIAM A. MGCOLLOUGH. atively associated therewith, and means for WVitnesses: automatically raising said cutter upon every J NO. P. WOODBEGH,

movement of said transportable frame tend- O. A. NEWCOMER. 

